Method for Manufacturing a Cup-shaped Striking Faceplate of a Wood Golf Club Head

ABSTRACT

A method for manufacturing a cup-shaped striking faceplate of a wood golf club head includes preparing a heat-compressing mold having a mold cavity, preparing a base plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, preparing a thermally expanding sheet, placing the base plate in the mold cavity by adhering the first surface of the base plate to an inner surface of the mold cavity, placing the thermally expanding sheet on the second surface of the base plate, and compressing the base plate and the thermally expanding sheet using the heat-compressing mold to form the base plate as the cup-shaped striking faceplate under heat compression. Thus, the cup-shaped striking faceplate is obtained. The cup-shaped striking faceplate includes a bottom wall and a lateral wall having a height of 5 to 40 mm.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a method for manufacturing a cup-shaped striking faceplate of a wood golf club head and, more particularly, to a method for manufacturing a cup-shaped striking faceplate of a wood golf club head made of carbon fiber.

2. Description of the Related Art

In the art field of golf, for a better control of the golf ball trajectory and landing spot, a counter weight is generally disposed in a golf club head in accordance with the user's preference to lower the gravity center of the golf club, thus enlarging the sweet spot of the golf club head. Consequently, even if the hitting spot of the golf ball is apart from the center of the sweet spot, as long as the hitting spot is within the sweet spot, the trajectory of the ball may not significantly vary and the golf ball may land within the target area.

However, the counter weight disposed in the golf club head results in total weight increasing of the golf club, and therefore places a further burden to the users. For that reason, the outer casing of the wood golf club head is generally made of light materials, such as carbon fiber, to reduce total weight of the golf club. Nevertheless, the use of carbon fiber may easily reduce the strength of the cup-shaped striking faceplate due to uneven pressure in the formation processes of the faceplate.

To overcome the defect, a conventional method for manufacturing a cup-shaped striking faceplate of a wood golf club head is disclosed, and the cup-shaped striking faceplate produced according to this conventional method is shown in FIG. 1. The conventional method for manufacturing the cup-shaped striking faceplate includes preparing a carbon fiber material 91, a mold 92 including a first mold 921 and a second mold 922 jointly forming a mold cavity “C”, a silicone compressing member 93 conforming to the shape of the mold cavity “C”; disposing the carbon fiber material 91 in the mold cavity “C”, then disposing the silicone compressing member 93 close to the cavity mold “C”; and applying an external force to the carbon fiber material 91 by thermal expansion of the silicone compressing member 93. The carbon fiber material 91 is therefore compressed and cured under heat to form a desired shape, thus obtaining the cup-shaped striking faceplate. The cup-shaped striking faceplate may be used to produce a wood golf club head.

However, in the conventional method for manufacturing a cup-shaped striking faceplate of a wood golf club head, the silicone compressing member 93 may continuously expand when heated by the mold 92. Then, the silicone compressing member 93 cools down and shrinks. The compressing member 93 may consequently deteriorate when undergoing several times of temperature changes and should be replaced, which adversely increases the production cost of the cup-shaped striking faceplate. Such a method for manufacturing a cup-shaped striking faceplate of a wood golf club may be seen in Taiwan patent No. 1260237.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore the objective of this invention to provide a method for manufacturing a cup-shaped striking faceplate of a wood golf club for producing a light cup-shaped striking faceplate with high strength.

Another objective of this invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a cup-shaped striking faceplate of a wood golf club without using a large-sized silicone compressing member required in a conventional method. Thus, the production cost resulting from frequent replacements of the silicone compressing member as required in the conventional manufacturing method is reduced.

The present invention fulfills the above objectives by providing, in a first aspect, a method for manufacturing a cup-shaped striking faceplate of a wood golf club head including preparing a heat-compressing mold having a mold cavity, preparing a base plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, preparing a thermally expanding sheet, placing the base plate in the mold cavity by adhering the first surface of the base plate to an inner surface of the mold cavity, placing the thermally expanding sheet on the second surface of the base plate, and compressing the base plate and the thermally expanding sheet using the heat-compressing mold to form the base plate as the cup-shaped striking faceplate under heat compression. The cup-shaped striking faceplate includes a bottom wall and a lateral wall having a height of 5 to 40 mm.

In a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for manufacturing a cup-shaped striking faceplate of a wood golf club head including preparing a heat-compressing mold having a mold cavity, preparing a base plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface, preparing a thermally expanding sheet, placing the thermally expanding sheet on the second surface of the base plate; placing the combined base plate and thermally expanding sheet in the mold cavity by adhering the first surface of the base plate to an inner surface of the mold cavity, and compressing the base plate and the thermally expanding sheet using the heat-compressing mold to form the base plate as the cup-shaped striking faceplate under heat compression. The cup-shaped striking faceplate comprises a bottom wall and a lateral wall having a height of 5 to 40 mm.

In a preferred form shown, a declined angle between the largest and smallest outer diameters of the lateral wall is equal to or smaller than 15°.

In the preferred form shown, the thermally expanding sheet has a thickness of 0.5 to 5 mm.

In the preferred form shown, the thermally expanding sheet has a Shore hardness value of 40 to 100.

In the preferred form shown, the size of the thermally expanding sheet is equal to or smaller than the size of the base plate.

In the preferred form shown, the base plate is a carbon fiber material.

In the preferred form shown, the base plate includes a carbon fiber material and a metal sheet. The metal sheet of the base plate is adhered to the mold cavity.

In the preferred form shown, the metal sheet is made of “6-4” type of titanium alloy.

With accordance to the method for manufacturing the cup-shaped striking faceplate of the wood golf club head in the present invention, the base plate receives an external force evenly applied by the heat-compressing mold through the thermally expanding sheet placed on the second surface of the base plate. Thus, distribution of the fiber and resin of the base plate containing carbon fiber material is improved, and the strength of such a light cup-shaped faceplate is enhanced consequently.

Moreover, the method for manufacturing a cup-shaped striking faceplate of a wood golf club head according to the present invention replaces a conventional large-sized silicone compressing member with the thermally expanding sheet placed on the second surface of the base plate. Thus the production cost resulting from frequent replacements of the large-size silicone compressing member as required in the conventional manufacturing method is reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinafter and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a cup-shaped striking faceplate of a wood golf club head manufactured by a conventional method.

FIG. 2 shows a production procedure of a cup-shaped striking faceplate of a wood golf club head wherein a base plate and a thermally expanding sheet are to be mounted into a mold cavity of a second mold.

FIG. 3 shows the production procedure of the cup-shaped striking faceplate of the wood golf club head wherein the base plate and the thermally expanding sheet are mounted in the mold cavity of the second mold and are compressed by the heat-compressing mold.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of the cup-shaped striking faceplate of the wood golf club head manufactured according to the production procedure of FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 5 shows the production procedure of the cup-shaped striking faceplate of the wood golf club head wherein the base plate and the thermally expanding sheet are mounted in the mold cavity formed by the second mold and an intermediate mold when compressed by the heat-compressing mold.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the cup-shaped striking faceplate of the wood golf club head manufactured according to the production procedure of FIG. 5.

In the various figures of the drawings, the same numerals designate the same or similar parts. Furthermore, when the terms “first”, “second”, “third”, “fourth.”, “inner”, “outer”, “top”, “bottom”, “front”, “rear” and similar terms are used hereinafter, it should be understood that these terms have reference only to the structure shown in the drawings as it would appear to a person viewing the drawings, and are utilized only to facilitate describing the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With references to FIGS. 2 and 3, a method for manufacturing a cup-shaped striking faceplate of a wood golf club head according to the present invention includes placing a base plate 1 in a mold cavity “C” of a heat-compressing mold “M”, placing a thermally expanding sheet 2 on the base plate 1, and heating the thermally expanding sheet 2. The thermally expanding sheet 2 may expand under heat. Thus, the thermally expanding sheet 2 and the heat-compressing mold “M” may jointly compress the base plate 1 to form a cup-shaped striking faceplate 3 under heat compression.

Specifically, the base plate 1 includes a first surface 1 a and a second surface 1 b opposite to the first surface 1 a. The base plate 1 may be a carbon fiber material or may include a metal sheet 11 and a carbon fiber material 12. In such a case, the first surface 1 a is located on the metal sheet 11, and the second surface 1 b is located on the carbon fiber 12. Preferably, the metal sheet is a “6-4” type of titanium alloy as shown in FIG. 5. When the base plate 1 containing carbon fiber material is used to produce a cup-shaped striking faceplate 3, the weight of said faceplate 3 can be reduced.

The heat-compressing mold “M” includes a first mold “M1” and a second mold “M2”. The mold cavity “C” is located in the second mold “M2”.

The thermally expanding sheet 2 includes a first surface 2 a and a second surface 2 b opposite to the first surface 2 a. The thermally expanding sheet 2 is expandable under heat transferred from the heat-compressing mold “M”. Preferably, the thermally expanding sheet 2 has a thickness of 0.5 to 5 mm, and a Shore hardness value of 40 to 100. In this embodiment, the thermally expanding sheet 2 is a silicone sheet.

The base plate 1 may be placed in the mold cavity “C” by adhering the first surface 1 a of the base plate to an inner surface of the mold cavity “C”. The thermally expanding sheet 2 is then placed on the second surface 1 b of the base plate 1 by adhering the first surface 2 a of the thermally expanding sheet 2 to the second surface 1 b of the base plate 1. In addition, the size of the thermally expanding sheet 2 can be equal to or smaller than the size of the base plate 1. When the size of the thermally expanding sheet 2 is smaller than the size of the base plate 1, the expanding sheet 2 is aligned with the base plate 1 at the center. Namely, the thermally expanding sheet 2 is aligned with the cup-shaped striking faceplate 3 at the center after the base plate 1 forms the cup-shaped striking faceplate 3.

With similar concepts, one having ordinary skill in the art may otherwise adhere the first surface 2 a of the thermally expanding sheet 2 to the second surface 1 b of the base plate 1, and then mount the combined thermally expanding sheet 2 and base plate 1 in the mold cavity “C” by adhering the first surface 1 a of the base plate 1 to the inner surface of the mold cavity “C”.

When the base plate 1 and the thermally expanding sheet 2 have been arranged, the first mold “M1” and the second mold “M2” may jointly compress the base plate 1 and the thermally expanding sheet 2. The thermally expanding sheet 2 therefore expands under heat, and consequently applies an external force to the base plate 1 to form the cup-shaped striking faceplate 3 under heat compression. The cup-shaped striking faceplate 1 may be obtained in the mold cavity “C” after the first mold “M1” is removed.

With references to FIG. 4, the cup-shaped striking faceplate 3 produced according to the method for manufacturing the cup-shaped striking faceplate of the wood golf club head in the present invention includes a bottom wall 31 and a lateral wall 32 having a height of 5 to 40 mm.

With references to FIG. 5, in the case of forming a cup-shaped striking faceplate 3 having a higher lateral wall, the heat-compressing mold “M” may preferably include a first mold “M1”, a second mold “M2” and an intermediate mold “M3”. The mold cavity “C” is formed by the second mold “M2” and the intermediate mold “M3”, as it can be known by one ordinarily skilled in the art.

In this embodiment, one may sequentially mount the base plate 1 and the thermally expanding sheet 2 in the mold cavity “C” by adhering the first surface 1 b of the base plate 1 to the inner surface of the mold cavity “C” and adhering the first surface 2 b of the thermally expanding sheet 2 to the second surface 1 b of the base plate 1. Because of the base plate 1 includes the metal sheet 11 and the carbon fiber material 12, therefore the first surface 1 a formed by the metal sheet 11 of the base plate 1 is adhered to the mold cavity “C”, and the second surface 1 b formed by the carbon fiber material 12 of the base plate 1 is adhered to the thermally expanding sheet 2.

Next, the first mold “M1”, the second mold “M2” and the intermediate mold “M3” jointly compress the base plate 1 and the thermally expanding sheet 2. Thus, the thermally expanding sheet 2 expands under heat, such that the base plate 1 is able to form the cup-shaped striking faceplate 3 under heat compression as previously described.

With references to FIG. 6, the cup-shaped striking faceplate 3 manufactured according to the above method still includes the bottom wall 31 and the lateral wall 32. Furthermore, a declined angle “θ” between the largest and smallest outer diameters of the striking faceplate 3 is equal to or smaller than 15°.

Accordingly, the base plate 1 can be evenly compressed by thermal expansion of the thermally expanding sheet 2, and the thermally expanding sheet 2 and the heat-compressing mold “M” can jointly compress the base plate 1 to form the cup-shaped striking faceplate 3.

As a summary of all, with accordance to the method for manufacturing the cup-shaped striking faceplate of the wood golf club head in the present invention, the base plate receives an external force evenly applied by the heat-compressing mold through the thermally expanding sheet placed on the second surface of the base plate. Thus, distribution of the fiber and resin of the base plate containing carbon fiber material is improved, and the strength of such a light cup-shaped faceplate is enhanced consequently.

Moreover, the method for manufacturing a cup-shaped striking faceplate of a wood golf club head according to the present invention replaces the conventional large-sized silicone compressing member with the thermally expanding sheet placed on the second surface of the base plate. Thus the production cost resulting from frequent replacements of the large-sized silicone compressing member is reduced.

Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to its presently preferable embodiments, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention, as set forth in the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for manufacturing a cup-shaped striking faceplate of a wood golf club head, comprising: preparing a heat-compressing mold having a mold cavity; preparing a base plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; preparing a thermally expanding sheet; placing the base plate in the mold cavity by adhering the first surface of the base plate to an inner surface of the mold cavity; placing the thermally expanding sheet on the second surface of the base plate; and compressing the base plate and the thermally expanding sheet using the heat-compressing mold to form the base plate as the cup-shaped striking faceplate under heat compression; wherein the cup-shaped striking faceplate comprises a bottom wall and a lateral wall having a height of 5 to 40 mm.
 2. A method for manufacturing a cup-shaped striking faceplate of a wood golf club head, comprising: preparing a heat-compressing mold having a mold cavity; preparing a base plate having a first surface and a second surface opposite to the first surface; preparing a thermally expanding sheet; placing the thermally expanding sheet on the second surface of the base plate; placing the combined base plate and thermally expanding sheet in the mold cavity by adhering the first surface of the base plate to an inner surface of the mold cavity; and compressing the base plate and the thermally expanding sheet using the heat-compressing mold to form the base plate as the cup-shaped striking faceplate under heat compression; wherein the cup-shaped striking faceplate comprises a bottom wall and a lateral wall having a height of 5 to 40 mm.
 3. The method for manufacturing the cup-shaped striking faceplate of the wood golf club head as claimed in claim 2, wherein a declined angle between the largest and smallest outer diameters of the lateral wall is equal to or smaller than 15°.
 4. The method for manufacturing the cup-shaped striking faceplate of the wood golf club head as claimed in claim 2, wherein the thermally expanding sheet has a thickness of 0.5 to 5 mm.
 5. The method for manufacturing the cup-shaped striking faceplate of the wood golf club head as claimed in claim 2, wherein the thermally expanding sheet has a Shore hardness value of 40 to
 100. 6. The method for manufacturing the cup-shaped striking faceplate of the wood golf club head as claimed in claim 2, wherein the size of the thermally expanding sheet is equal to or smaller than the size of the base plate.
 7. The method for manufacturing the cup-shaped striking faceplate of the wood golf club head as claimed in claim 2, wherein the base plate is a carbon fiber material.
 8. The method for manufacturing the cup-shaped striking faceplate of the wood golf club head as claimed in claim 2, wherein the base plate comprises a carbon fiber material and a metal sheet, wherein the metal sheet of the base plate is adhered to the mold cavity.
 9. The method for manufacturing the cup-shaped striking faceplate of the wood golf club head as claimed in claim 8, wherein the metal sheet is made of “6-4” type of titanium alloy.
 10. The method for manufacturing the cup-shaped striking faceplate of the wood golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein a declined angle between the largest and smallest outer diameters of the lateral wall is equal. to or smaller than 15°.
 11. The method for manufacturing the cup-shaped striking faceplate of the wood golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermally expanding sheet has a thickness of 0.5 to 5 mm.
 12. The method for manufacturing the cup-shaped striking faceplate of the wood golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thermally expanding sheet has a Shore hardness value of 40 to
 100. 13. The method for manufacturing the cup-shaped striking faceplate of the wood golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the size of the thermally expanding sheet is equal to or smaller than the size of the base plate.
 14. The method for manufacturing the cup-shaped striking faceplate of the wood golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base plate is a carbon fiber material.
 15. The method for manufacturing the cup-shaped striking faceplate of the wood golf club head as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base plate comprises a carbon fiber material and a metal sheet, wherein the metal sheet of the base plate is adhered to the mold cavity.
 16. The method for manufacturing the cup-shaped striking faceplate of the wood golf club head as claimed in claim 15, wherein the metal sheet is made of “6-4” type of titanium alloy. 